


Hope, Foolishness, Regret

by respira_mia



Category: Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger, Super Sentai Series
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-24
Updated: 2020-06-24
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:47:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24893395
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/respira_mia/pseuds/respira_mia
Summary: Joe reflects on his past early in the morning and receives advice from the captain. Hints of romantic/platonic Joe x Marvelous (however you'd like to interpret it!).Spoilers for episodes 11, 30 and 38 of Gokaiger.
Relationships: Joe Gibken/Captain Marvelous
Kudos: 12





	Hope, Foolishness, Regret

_Beads of sweat sparkled on his forehead. He was all too aware of the crimson stains and blood trickling down his face. He countered the attack with the very same technique, desperately ignoring the aching in every inch of his body. Nothing mattered now. He couldn’t die here, not while he still had a debt to pay. It was unimaginable; it was unthinkable. He pressed on, despite what his conscience told him. ‘Remember who this is’, it pleaded with him, but he had no time for beggars. He attacked and watched breathlessly as the light sped toward his opponent._  
_Gokai Blue awoke with a start._

It had been two years since the Zangyack’s demise and Barizorg’s fateful battle with Joe Gibken, of the famed pirate squadron Gokaiger. Sometimes it still haunted him, even now. Yes, he’d received what you may want to call closure, but that didn’t mean that he didn’t think about that day ever again. How could he forget it? He’d murdered his mentor, even if there was no saving him. Despite the fact that Barizorg had tried to kill him, Joe still cared, even if he didn’t show it.  
The man heaved himself up and forced himself to get dressed. Bleary-eyed, he checked the time: 3:27AM - the perfect hour for thinking.

He threw on his jacket, and, in an effort not to wake anyone, silently tiptoed up to the crowsnest. The whirring of the ship was somewhat comforting from such a great height. He looked out at the sky, drenched in deep navy-blue ink, and smiled in a bittersweet manner. This was the same colour the sky was when he’d parted with Sid. 

He’d cried so much in that first year they came to Earth, more times than in the rest of his life. He cried for Sid, who he’d never get back. He cried for himself, knowing he’d have to live with this guilt. He cried for his teammates, knowing they’d have to deal with his pitiful emotions. He was a frightful mess back then, a shameful one.

Remembering the constant fights (with both Barizorg and with himself) was painful. Joe allowed himself to shed a few tears at the memory - after all, what good does bottling up all your feelings do? He remembered Sid’s smile and the encouragement he gave. It made him feel… nostalgic, in a sense.

Goodness knows how long he stayed up there for - it felt like hours, reflecting on that moment, but watching the stars, time seemed to fly by. Before he was even aware of it, there was another presence accompanying him - and when he realised, it felt like they’d been there with him the whole time.

“Thinking?” The voice of the captain whispered. Joe didn’t need to turn around to know he had his arms folded.

The man in blue smirked. “Shouldn’t you be asleep?” His companion shook his head.

“Couldn’t. I know you’ve been coming up here for some nights now.”

“H-how-”

“Navi told me. Listen, Joe, it’s not healthy for you to be up at this time every night.” Marvelous forced him to look at him, a clear expression of concern painted on his face. Joe rolled his eyes in response.

“That’s rich, coming from you.”

“Oh, shut up. I’m trying to look out for you. You’re thinking about the past, right? Before I met you on that deserted planet?”

The blue pirate nodded. “I just… do you think… if things could have turned out differently…”

Now it was Marvelous’ turn to roll his eyes. He looked out at the sky, the same way his second-in-command had done. “What good is it to focus on what could have been? You know there was nothing you could’ve done.”

“But-! It’s not that easy, just to let go.”

“I know.” There was a slight wobble in the Captain’s voice. “If anyone knows that, it’s me. But you have us now, Joe, promise me you’ll never forget that. We’ll help you.”

Joe suppressed a smile. “Who knew you could be sentimental?”

Marvelous smirked and looked down, before looking at his companion once more. “Mention it to any of the others, and you’re dead. Now, you should probably head back to bed before Doc or Ahim start to notice the bags under your eyes.”

He nodded, and the two of them went down together. Joe faced his friend once more.

“Hey, Marvelous?”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks.”

“Get some rest. We have a busy day ahead tomorrow.”

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed reading this!!


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